What was the outcome of Tenancy Tribunal case 4616775?

The tribunal order states: No application for suppression has been made in this case and no suppression

How much money was awarded in case 4616775?

Filing Fee: $20.44 awarded to landlord; Lawns and Garden Work: $443.16 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $2,640.98 awarded to landlord; Water Rates: $422.05 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 4616775?

The primary dispute was Smoke alarms.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 4616775?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/9549799-Tenancy_Tribunal_Order.pdf.

What was the outcome of Tenancy Tribunal case 4616775?

The tribunal order states: No application for suppression has been made in this case and no suppression

How much money was awarded in case 4616775?

Filing Fee: $20.44 awarded to landlord; Lawns and Garden Work: $443.16 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $2,640.98 awarded to landlord; Water Rates: $422.05 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 4616775?

The primary dispute was Smoke alarms.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 4616775?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/9549799-Tenancy_Tribunal_Order.pdf.

Unit/Flat 4, 174 Birkdale Road, Birkdale, Auckland 0626 Tenancy Tribunal Case 4616775 — Smoke alarms

Reasons

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 4616775 — net $3,526.63 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Water rates	$422.05	Water rates
Cleaning, lawn and garden work; replace light bulbs	$443.16	Cleaning, lawn and garden work; replace light bulbs
Rubbish removal; replace keys; replace smoke alarms; replace curtains; remove green waste; repairs to bench and wardrobe	$2,640.98	Rubbish removal; replace keys; replace smoke alarms; replace curtains; remove green waste; repairs to bench and wardrobe
Filing fee reimbursement	$20.44	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$3,526.63
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$3,526.63

Mr Taëni, a director, represented the landlord company. He attended the hearing by phone from Brisbane. The tenant did not attend.

The landlord has applied for compensation and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.

Did the tenant comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy?

At the end of the tenancy the tenant must leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy, remove all rubbish, return all keys and security devices, and leave all chattels provided for their benefit. See section 40(1)(e)(ii)-(v) Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (RTA). The tenant is required to replace worn out smoke alarm batteries during the tenancy. See section 40(1)(ca) RTA. The tenant must also replace standard light bulbs.

The tenant did not leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy and did not remove all rubbish.

The tenant did not return all the keys.

Smoke alarms were missing at the end of the tenancy. The landlord had to replace light bulbs.

The landlord has proved a claim for water rates.

The amounts ordered are proved by invoices, photos, and by the evidence Mr Taëni gave at the hearing.

Is the tenant responsible for the damage to the premises?

A landlord must prove that damage to the premises occurred during the tenancy and is more than fair wear and tear. If this is established, to avoid liability, the tenant must prove they did not carelessly or intentionally cause or permit the damage. Tenants are liable for the actions of people at the premises with their permission. See sections 40(2)(a), 41 and 49B RTA.

Where the damage is careless, and occurs after 27 August 2019, section 49B RTA applies. If the landlord becomes aware of the damage after 27 August, the damage is presumed to have occurred after that date unless the tenant proves otherwise.

Where the damage is caused carelessly, and is covered by the landlord's insurance, the tenant's liability is limited to the lesser of the insurance excess or four weeks' rent (or four weeks' market rent in the case of a tenant paying income-related rent). See section 49B(3)(a) RTA.

Where the damage is careless and is not covered by the landlord's insurance, the tenant's liability is limited to four weeks' rent (or market rent). See section 49B(3)(b) RTA. Where insurance money is irrecoverable because of the tenant's conduct, the property is treated as if it is not insured against the damage. See section 49B(3A)(a) RTA.

Tenants are liable for the cost of repairing damage that is intentional or which results from any activity at the premises that is an imprisonable offence. This applies to anything the tenant does and anything done by a person they are responsible for. See section 49B(1) RTA.

Damage is intentional where a person intends to cause damage and takes the necessary steps to achieve that purpose. Damage is also intentional where a person does something, or allows a situation to continue, knowing that damage is a certainty. See Guo v Korck [2019] NZHC 1541.

The following damage was caused during the tenancy. There was a hole in the kitchen bench. Wardrobe doors in the bedrooms were jammed and tracks had to be replaced. Curtains had to be replaced as well. The damage is more than fair wear and tear, and the tenant has not disproved liability for the damage.

The amounts ordered are proved by photos and an invoice.

As the application is successful, the tenant must pay the landlord’s Tribunal filing fee.

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 4616775 — net $3,526.63 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Water rates	$422.05	Water rates
Cleaning, lawn and garden work; replace light bulbs	$443.16	Cleaning, lawn and garden work; replace light bulbs
Rubbish removal; replace keys; replace smoke alarms; replace curtains; remove green waste; repairs to bench and wardrobe	$2,640.98	Rubbish removal; replace keys; replace smoke alarms; replace curtains; remove green waste; repairs to bench and wardrobe
Filing fee reimbursement	$20.44	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$3,526.63
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$3,526.63

Order

No application for suppression has been made in this case and no suppression orders apply around publication of this decision.
Christopher Sean Rawiri must pay Ludwig Feigenbaum Properties Limited $3,526.63 immediately, calculated as shown in table below:

Reasons

Mr Taëni, a director, represented the landlord company. He attended the hearing by phone from Brisbane. The tenant did not attend.
The landlord has applied for compensation and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.

Did the tenant comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy?

At the end of the tenancy the tenant must leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy, remove all rubbish, return all keys and security devices, and leave all chattels provided for their benefit. See section 40(1)(e)(ii)-(v) Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (RTA). The tenant is required to replace worn out smoke alarm batteries during the tenancy. See section 40(1)(ca) RTA. The tenant must also replace standard light bulbs.
The tenant did not leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy and did not remove all rubbish.
The tenant did not return all the keys.
Smoke alarms were missing at the end of the tenancy. The landlord had to replace light bulbs.
The landlord has proved a claim for water rates.
The amounts ordered are proved by invoices, photos, and by the evidence Mr Taëni gave at the hearing.

Is the tenant responsible for the damage to the premises?

A landlord must prove that damage to the premises occurred during the tenancy and is more than fair wear and tear. If this is established, to avoid liability, the tenant must prove they did not carelessly or intentionally cause or permit the damage. Tenants are liable for the actions of people at the premises with their permission. See sections 40(2)(a), 41 and 49B RTA.
Where the damage is careless, and occurs after 27 August 2019, section 49B RTA applies. If the landlord becomes aware of the damage after 27 August, the damage is presumed to have occurred after that date unless the tenant proves otherwise.
Where the damage is caused carelessly, and is covered by the landlord's insurance, the tenant's liability is limited to the lesser of the insurance excess or four weeks' rent (or four weeks' market rent in the case of a tenant paying income-related rent). See section 49B(3)(a) RTA.
Where the damage is careless and is not covered by the landlord's insurance, the tenant's liability is limited to four weeks' rent (or market rent). See section 49B(3)(b) RTA. Where insurance money is irrecoverable because of the tenant's conduct, the property is treated as if it is not insured against the damage. See section 49B(3A)(a) RTA.
Tenants are liable for the cost of repairing damage that is intentional or which results from any activity at the premises that is an imprisonable offence. This applies to anything the tenant does and anything done by a person they are responsible for. See section 49B(1) RTA.
Damage is intentional where a person intends to cause damage and takes the necessary steps to achieve that purpose. Damage is also intentional where a person does something, or allows a situation to continue, knowing that damage is a certainty. See Guo v Korck [2019] NZHC 1541.
The following damage was caused during the tenancy. There was a hole in the kitchen bench. Wardrobe doors in the bedrooms were jammed and tracks had to be replaced. Curtains had to be replaced as well. The damage is more than fair wear and tear, and the tenant has not disproved liability for the damage.
The amounts ordered are proved by photos and an invoice.
As the application is successful, the tenant must pay the landlord’s Tribunal filing fee.

Tenancy Tribunal case 4616775 — Smoke alarms at Unit/Flat 4, 174 Birkdale Road, Birkdale, Auckland 0626

At a glance

Tenancy Tribunal case 4616775 — Smoke alarms at Unit/Flat 4, 174 Birkdale Road, Birkdale, Auckland 0626

At a glance

Award balance

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

Did the tenant comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy?

Is the tenant responsible for the damage to the premises?

Topics & place

Residential Tenancies Act sections

Key findings

Property management

Frequently asked questions

Award balance

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

Did the tenant comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy?

Is the tenant responsible for the damage to the premises?

Topics & place

Residential Tenancies Act sections

Key findings

Property management

Frequently asked questions